Last month we previewed the Hot Rods & Horsepower Show hosted by Pukekohe Hot Rod Club & Napa Auto Parts Dragway. This month we preview one of the cars which will be displayed at this fantastic show in August.
Allow us to introduce the B&M/Brizio Project Car 1932 Ford Tudor direct from the USA and now owned by Ian & Iqbal Taylor of the Pukekohe Hot Rod Club. This car was built back in 1995 by Roy Brizio Street Rods in South San Francisco, California, USA in conjunction with B&M Racing to showcase their products and appeared on the cover of the Rod & Custom Magazine in March 1996.
To give some perspective to the importance of this car, Roy Brizio Street Rods is a premiere hot rod building shop in the USA with such clientele as musicians Jeff Beck, Neil Young, Eric Clapton as well as sports stars like Reggie Jackson. Roy Brizio himself is a second generation hot rodder growing up with his father – The Rodfather – Andy Brizio. Vehicles built at Roy Brizio Street Rods, are known not only for their high quality but the fact they can be driven – the B&M/Brizio MEGA Deuce shown here is one such car. Interestingly this beautiful but wild hot rod was rarely seen in the USA and to this day only just has a tad over 2000 miles on the odometer.
How did this significant and also iconic hot rod end from the USA end up here in New Zealand? Ian Taylor is a great friend of mine and good friends don’t let good friends make bad choices right? I called Ian one day – “you won’t believe what has come up for sale, a Brizio built, B&M supercharged big block Chev powered 1932 Ford on Halibrand wheels! It’s all HOT ROD!” There’s a pause on the other end of the phone – “I don’t need another car!”, says Ian. I guess he was right as he has a few cool old cars and old Fords but I pestered him for a month before he asked me to call up and find out all about it.
When the car eventually arrived from the USA – it was and still is a very surreal moment as it is not every day that such an iconic and well built hot rod is imported into New Zealand. As you would expect the car is meticulously finished from top to bottom and it’s a real case of the more you look the more you see in terms of build techniques and features. We spent three solid weekends repolishing all the aluminium and stainless components on the car and we also got the wheels repolished. After changing the oil and checking other fluids, we could then see what the car was all about. As you can imagine the B&M supercharged 510cuin big block Chev engine sounds great and performs incredibly. On the road, the car drives incredibly well also.
Needless to say, the B&M/Brizio MEGA Deuce 1932 Ford Tudor is a welcome addition to the New Zealand hot rodding scene. This car will be on display at the Hot Rod & Horsepower Show along with a number of never seen before cars from mostly Pukekohe Hot Rod Club members. “This year’s show is focussed on showcasing to the public the family orientated hobby of hot rodding and the sport of drag racing we enjoy”, says Trevor Williams, president of the Pukekohe Hot Rod Club. “We are a community spirited club and here is our showcase to the community”.
If you like the sound of this and get along to the Indian Hall over the weekend of 21st – 22nd August and you like what you see then you may wish to join the Pukekohe Hot Rod Club? Membership requirement is to have an interest in in Hot Rodding or Drag Racing, and club activities and if you do have a car the Pukekohe Hot Rod Club has an open policy in which the vehicles are mainly American origin, drag cars or vehicles of interest. Show hours run from 9am to 10pm on Saturday and 9am to 4pm on Sunday. Admission is $10 and children under 15 are free. Food, refreshments and bar facilities are also available. For further enquiries on the show or the club please email phrc@hotmail.co.nz